Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Chiayi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinmen and Chiayi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Kinmen versus $1,173 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,886 in Kinmen versus $1,961 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,646 in Kinmen versus $2,750 in Chiayi.

Living in Kinmen costs roughly 4% less than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kinmen 16% lower, Chiayi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 NT$162

$6.76 NT$214

-24.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.99 NT$981

$40.59 NT$1,285

-23.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 NT$169

$5.62 NT$178

-4.98%

Cappuccino

$2.96 NT$93.7

$2.17 NT$68.8

36.41%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 NT$34.68

$1.13 NT$35.65

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$22.97

$0.79 NT$24.90

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 NT$57.0

$1.88 NT$59.5

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 NT$87.2

$3.01 NT$95.2

-8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$100

$3.26 NT$103

-2.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 NT$61.6

$1.90 NT$60.2

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 NT$92.3

$3.18 NT$101

-8.18%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$92.0

$2.81 NT$89.1

3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.90 NT$598

$20.24 NT$641

-6.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 NT$263

$9.87 NT$313

-15.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.85 NT$533

$20.08 NT$635

-16.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 NT$143

$5.22 NT$165

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.97 NT$93.9

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 NT$84.1

$2.86 NT$90.5

-6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NT$110

$4.30 NT$136

-19.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$2.83 NT$89.5

-1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.8

$2.21 NT$69.8

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NT$65.1

$1.97 NT$62.4

4.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NT$38.10

$1.33 NT$42.22

-9.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 NT$132

$4.09 NT$129

2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 NT$441

$4.84 NT$153

187.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$53.9

$1.75 NT$55.3

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 NT$80.5

$2.39 NT$75.7

6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NT$26.29

$0.82 NT$25.95

1.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 NT$1,230

$38.66 NT$1,224

0.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 NT$93.6

$2.95 NT$93.2

0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.07

$0.41 NT$13.13

78.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.00 NT$317

$10.10 NT$320

-0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 NT$34.10

$1.03 NT$32.58

4.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.8K NT$1.1M

$38.8K NT$1.2M

-10.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K NT$826.1K

$28.1K NT$888.4K

-7.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$85.0 NT$2,690

$72.1 NT$2,280

17.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.64 NT$780

$18.85 NT$596

30.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.33 NT$707

$24.69 NT$781

-9.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.99 NT$1,203

$37.78 NT$1,196

0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 NT$471

$15.13 NT$479

-1.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$319

$11.66 NT$369

-13.64%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$426 NT$13.5K

$645 NT$20.4K

-33.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$483.7K

$18.8K NT$594.1K

-18.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.9 NT$2,656

$59.7 NT$1,889

40.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.07 NT$1,078

$34.01 NT$1,077

0.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 NT$2,865

$92.9 NT$2,941

-2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NT$3,175

$125 NT$3,952

-19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$13.8K

$440 NT$13.9K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,242

$290 NT$9,186

0.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 NT$32.9K

$1,034 NT$32.7K

0.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 NT$22.7K

$713 NT$22.6K

0.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,225 NT$228.7K

$7,483 NT$236.8K

-3.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,930 NT$187.7K

$5,182 NT$164.0K

14.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,122 NT$67.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.19

-0.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kinmen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Kinmen and $440 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Kinmen vs $41.00 in Chiayi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $383 per month, with Kinmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kinmen vs Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kinmen wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Chiayi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kinmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,690 in Kinmen and $1,759 in Chiayi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Kinmen versus $440 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,127 per month in Kinmen versus $1,173 in Chiayi – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kinmen runs roughly 1% less than in Chiayi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,127 in Kinmen versus $1,173 in Chiayi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kinmen but tight or insufficient in Chiayi. The gap between the two cities makes Kinmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kinmen and Chiayi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kinmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Chiayi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.